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Man Utd transfer news: Sky Sports man makes Mauricio Pochettino transfer claim
MANCHESTER UNITED will not spend big cash in January because they won't be able to consult Mauricio Pochettino first, it's been claimed.
Sky Sports man Adam Bate thinks Manchester United's transfer decisions when the window reopens will be based on who's the long-term successor to Jose Mourinho.
But the situation is complicated by the fact their No.1 target is Mauricio Pochettino, manager of their top-four rivals Tottenham.
So Bate thinks United will instead keep their cheque-book in their pocket for when Pochettino is likely to be in position.
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"I think it would be strange if the new manager wasn't consulted," Bate told the Transfer Talk podcast.
"Are we thinking Pochettino is in the frame for that? There's no way he'd be being consulted at this stage is there.
"For that reason I think it'd be really surprising if they signed too many players in January.
"They've got a pretty big squad and they'd be eating into the summer budget."
Mourinho was sacked as boss on Tuesday with Ole Gunnar Solksjaer put in caretaker charge until the end of the season.
Bate thinks crucial to the decision would be the fact that Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial are now more likely to stay at the club.
Martial signed a new long-term deal this week while Pogba has been rowing with Mourinho all season
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"I think the significance in terms of January for United is with Pogba and Martial on the fringes of things, would he want those two guys out in January to spend money on new players?" Bate added.
"By making this decision you decrease the chances of losing those two in January.
"The last thing they want is the new manager in the summer saying he would have liked to have Pogba and Martial in January, having sold them."